This giveaway is closed.
A few months ago, Pearson Education contacted me to see if I would accept a copy of WordPress In Depth by Bud Smith and Michael McCallister to do a review and a giveaway. I don’t usually have time to do book reviews, but I was interested in how this book presented WordPress to the new user and whether it would be something I can recommend to you. I accepted the copy and agreed to do the giveaway. (Insert happy, “YAY!” from the gallery.)
I’ll be giving away five copies of WordPress In Depth
and the instructions for entry will be at the end of this post. But first let me tell you why you’ll want to win this book.
I really liked that this book tackles both WordPress.com (the hosted version) and WordPress.org (the self-hosted version). Bud and Michael explain the differences between the two options, then proceed to explain how to use both, including links to WordPress resources for beginner questions, set up for askismet spam filter, and frequently asked WordPress questions.
My favorite thing about this book, though, is that, even if you’ve never blogged, you can pick up this book, follow its instructions, and have working WordPress.com or WordPress.org blog very quickly. If you’re using WordPress.com (hosted), the book walks you through everything from changing your blog settings (e.g., general, privacy, and discussion) — including those settings you won’t find in your dashboard (e.g., rating posts, pages, and comments) to choosing a theme (the book actually lists and describes many themes and why they may fit your needs). If you’re using WordPress.org (self-hosted), the authors walk you through how to choose a server and FTP files, then help you set up your blog with themes and settings. Instructions that could easily confuse a novice are clearly written using easy-to-understand language.
Other topics in the book include:
- choosing and using a custom domain name
- understanding, choosing, and installing plug-ins and widgets
- PHP basics (PHP is the scripting language for WordPress)
- including graphics in your posts
- tracking your stats
- using XML, XHTML, and CSS to build your own theme
In short, this book is useful to beginners and intermediate users of WordPress. That’s quite a feat in my estimation because it’s hard to cover enough information for a beginner and still offer useful tips to those who are already familiar with the software. This book does it, though, and I recommend you either win one of the five copies I’m giving away or go buy a copy for yourself (or a friend who’s using WordPress).
To win a copy of WordPress In Depth, please leave me a comment below telling me why you’d like to win this book. Are you a newbie trying to figure out where to start your blog? Or have you been at this a while and are interested in installing WordPress.org?
You can also tweet about this giveaway. If you do, just leave a separate comment with a link to your tweet. Not sure what to tweet? You can come up with your own Tweet, click on the ReTweet button after this post (it’s down there by the Share and Enjoy links), or cut and paste this into your Twitter stream:
Blogging Basics 101 is giving away 5 copies of WordPress In Depth. Great for beginner & intermediate bloggers! http://bit.ly/cyDYvv
You can find the permalink to your tweet by going to your Twitter profile page (twitter.com/username), finding your tweet, then clicking on the timestamp.
The URL of the resulting page is what you need to leave in the comment.
***Only one tweet per day, please; we don’t want to spam the Twittersphere, we just want them to know the giveaway is here.
I’ll choose a winner on Friday, April 23 using Random.org. Good luck!
)
I’ve been using wordpress.org for a while, but I’d like to learn more about customizing my theme, so the sections on php and css would be very helpful.
I would love to win this book because I just switched over to WordPress and would LOVE LOVE having a reference book at my fingertips instead of Googling every new question that pops into my head. Also, because I’d like to know more about PHP.
Thank you!
And I’ve tweeted: http://twitter.com/dawnfarias/status/12451816113
Thanks!
I’ve been using wp for about 5 months now, and I would love to have this book as a trouble-shooting reference. Thanks!
Help to maintain several WP.org blogs and this would assist my skillz ;o)
Actually, I love WP and am learning PHP and this would be great.
Tweet is here: http://twitter.com/cbroxton/status/12453023398
I am using WordPress.org and have only touched the surface of what I can do. I would love to take advantage of all it has to offer.
Thanks for the giveaway!
I tweeted:
http://twitter.com/booktumbling/status/12453927590
I also tweeted:
http://twitter.com/booktumbling/status/12453927590
I muddled through setting up my WordPress.org site a year ago but haven’t ventured into changing the theme or installing any cool widgets. My poor blog is very plain!
I’d love to win this book so I can learn how to customize my site. I haven’t done it on my own yet because I don’t want to make a fatal error and lose everything. A lot of my friends use WordPress.com to host their blogs and I’m sure they’d love to borrow this book if I won it, or maybe they’ll enter the giveaway too!
I also tweeted about this: http://twitter.com/jenpenm/status/12454422718
I’m currently using Blogger but want to switch to WordPress. This book looks like it would be a huuuuge help in making the conversion. Thanks for making the time for the review and for hosting the giveaway!
I would like to win this book because I
don’t have a clue as to what I’m doing.
I have been using WordPress for a year and would like to customize my blog a little more to my own style preferences. I would love to know how to get rid of the Title on my home page because I added a graphic that includes the title and it looks a little silly to have both. I would also like to know how to work with pictures better. I have purchased my domain name so that I could self-host my blog – but I am just not sure if that is the best thing for me to do. And….And…And… And… Is there a reason not to want to win this book? Thanks and wish me luck!
Hi Melanie, I’d like to win this book because I am self-training on blogging for our small business. Got one post up and froze. (acckk–what now?)
Thanks for the great blogging tips!
Hi Melanie! I’ve been using Movable Type for the last several years and have been been increasingly disatisfied with its design and how it is being developed. I’m just starting to use WordPress. I’m really impressed with how WP it works and the overall vibe that surrounds its development. I’m starting a new blog with it and want to convert two older sites to it from MT. Would love to have a good reference book for WP so I can tweak and customize and take advantage of its power. I actually have WordPress in Depth on reserve at the library, but there are a bunch of people ahead of me and I’m like number 5 on the list. I’ve got your site on my RSS feeder and enjoy reading your tips and stuff. Thanks you!
I would love a copy of this book as I am new at blogging on WordPress and I’m trying to muddle my way through all the new features and interesting ways of communicating with the world. I’d love to have something to help me figure it all out!
Just starting a blog about cooking healthy food for your family on a tight budget and would love this resource! Learning on the web is geat, especially with blogs like Blogging Basics 101; sometimes it’s nice to just hold a book made of paper too, haha.
I would love to learn how to do more with WordPress. I see so many sites out there that begin with WP and a theme but are so much more… evolved. Would love to learn how to do that.
I re-tweeted- does that count? http://twitter.com/iatraveler/status/12470670233
I moved from Blogger to WordPress a few months ago. I’d love to have the book to see what else I can do with it. Lisa~
I’ve just gotten started with WordPress blogs and would really love to increase my knowledge in the features. Although I know the basics, it’d be nice to figure out more of the advanced things on WP!
Thank you!
I am extremely tired of slow response and support from SixApart re my Typepad blog and seriously want to switch to WordPress.
Thanks for the chance to win.
Oh I am so excited about this giveaway. I am planning a move from blogger to WordPress and am very anxious about learning WordPress. I have been on blogger for almost 2 1/2 yrs and have that figured out. I know it is time to make the move, but don’t know where to start. This book would be a great start.
Thank you for the opportunity to win.
I’ve used WordPress for awhile now and I really need a concise book about its functions. I need a book that’s thorough without being too technical. This one sounds good. Thanks for the review.
I would be a perfect candidate to win this book because I have been working up the nerve to get WordPress.org, because everyone says it is so much better than WordPress.com and lightyears ahead of Blogger. I have a WordPress.com account which I have attempted to maintain, but I just find it less user friendly than the Blogger platforms. The only problem preventing me from using the service is lack of knowledge and wariness of the unsurety of something I am unfamiliar with. I would prefer to use WordPress, because I do see where it has much more to offer than the cut-down version of blogging offered by Blogger. I am confident this book would first help me make the most of the blog I already have at WordPress.com, and then would help me better understand the benefits of having a blog on the paid hosting site. I would love to be able to join my fellow writers on WordPress, having been convinced by their vaulted praise of both platforms, especially in comparison to Blogger. Thank you.
This is the permalink to my tweet about the book giveaway:
http://twitter.com/trinalgrant/status/12500564732
Thanks again!
I have had a self-hosted site since 10/09. i still need to ask others for help when I run into trouble. I am very independent, and would love to have the book so I can figure things out on my own, rather than asking someone.
Winning a copy of this book would make you my guardian angel, but don’t be alarmed – it would only be for a day! I just migrated my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org, and I feel like a stranger in a strange land. I have been using wordpress.com for a year now and feel like I know enough to learn from a well-written book. Thanks for the opportunity to enter your drawing.
Here is the permalink to my retweet:
http://twitter.com/foxygknits/status/12504114125
I have been thinking about switching over to WordPress for sometime now and this book would be a big help!
I am trying to get blogs, one staff and one public, set up for the library district where I work. This book would be a great starting point and would help also with a future goal of teaching library patrons about blogging.
I’m an intermediate user and have run into a wall. CSS, PHP, FTP all drives me crazy. Help!
What a wonderful book! I have been blogging for several years now and have used Blogger,Typepad, and now WordPress. In some ways I miss Typepad, but I couldn’t justify the expense. WordPress works, but there is so much I don’t know about how to customize the template etc. I would love a copy of this resource.
I tweeted about the giveaway http://twitter.com/shelbylyn1982
I would love to win this book because I chose to start out using wordpress.org and have some regrets. It is quite overwhelming to learn how to customize everything and I know it is possible. I just have put my custom desires on hold to try to focus on content right now. I’d love to have it explained to me being very new to the blogging world.
Pick me! This book looks great! I love that it includes PHP basics, real-world examples, and troubleshooting help – all in once place! I teach web site design and social media to college students. In previous semesters, I’ve introduced them to Blogger, but this semester we are working with WordPress.org – they are excited, and they have actually told me how they like it when I find a good book/resource for them. Thanks for the tip and the fun drawing
And here’s my RT of your tweet: http://twitter.com/bb101/status/12450804802
Thanks again!
I opened up a WordPress account a couple of years ago but haven’t used it until last week. I’ve been wanting to move my blog from its current platform for sometime now but was intimidated by the process. But that has changed because I’m really excited about WordPress now that I’ve been reading about the possibilities it has to offer for both a blogging platform and a website. I learn well from books and love the idea that I can add this one to the learning curve ahead of me.
I have a wordpress blog and consider myself to be a low-intermediate user. There are still many things about wordpress I don’t know but need to…and don’t have the time to research!
I am the Wardrobe Wizard of Baltimore and have been blogging for almost one year on a self hosted site. My blog has great information but it needs to be more visually appealing. I think I can make this happen with a new theme and I want to use more pictures. This book sounds like it could help me pick a new theme and help my blog look more visually appealing.
I’ve been blogging on WordPress.com since last November, and have been contemplating making the jump to WordPress.org. Winning this book could help me make this switch relatively painlessly!
I’m currently using WP.org (self-hosted). If I win, I’ll hand the book over to my husband Tim. He manages most of the “backend” stuff for my blog (…and I am SO grateful for that).
I tweeted again. Building a new site and need input. Hope this can help!
http://twitter.com/iatraveler/status/12546548817
Tweeted again!
http://twitter.com/foxygknits/status/12558456101
I am a newbie trying to figure out where/how/why to start my blog. I need all the help I can get. Met you at i_blog last year and have learned so much by following your site. Very helpful information. Thank you.
I’m new to blogging and having been up into the wee hours of the night trying to figure out how to change my robots.txt file on Blogger, I have come to the conclusion that a/ It can’t be done and b/I likely need to try WordPress c/I should get a “blogging 101″ book. Winning a copy of this book would send me on the path to what I hope becomes a successful blogging experience. In the meantime, I have stopped creating new content and am going to spend my time reading your site to learn more. Thanks for the opportunity to win a copy!
This would be so helpful for me. I just switched over to WordPress and am still trying to work out all the “kinks” in my blog…There is so much to learn, but it’s overwhelming if you don’t have someone breaking it down for you. This sounds like an amazing book, Melanie! Thanks for the chance to win!
I’m still trying to decide if I should make the switch from Blogger and reading through to see what I’d be in for would be helpful in making up my mind.
I have been wanting an all in one book to jump start me into blogging. I started 2months ago and afraid of doing the wrong thing. This book sounds perfect for me -the all in one training. Thanks for this opportunity.
This book sounds great! I am a fairly new blogger on WordPress and am considering my own domain. This book appears to have all the bases covered. Pick me, Random.org!!
I’d love a copy of this book as I’ve been toying with the idea of building my own themes and this sounds like a great place to start.
I’ve been using WordPress for years, but I’ve barely touched the surface of what it will do. I’d love to see if this book could teach me something new, but I’d also love to use it to teach others the basics. I’m the admin for our church web site and I need an easy way to train others to use WP so they can help update the site.
Hi melanie! I’m so glad I came back and checked your site…LOL I’m going to become a follower so I don’t miss anything! anyhoo….I’ve been using WordPress.org for a little over a year now. I have a hosting acct. through GoDaddy.com. I have been wanting to become more knowledgeable about wordpress.org b/c I want to get the most enjoyment out of my blog. You know? I was JUST telling my boyfriend how frustrated I get b/c I try to figure out how to get certain applications to work that require Javascript or I struggle with getting the HTML codes to work…ack! So, this book sounds like a great resource! Thankyou for allowing me the opportunity to enter for it. I have been recommending your site to newbie bloggers as well to help them get started as your site has been a great plethora of info as well! Thanks again and have a great day!!
I want to start a blog at work (public library) but don’t know where to start. I think this book would be a big help.
Tweet tweet!
http://twitter.com/foxygknits/status/12623873657
I’d really like to learn more about WordPress to see if it’s a better alternative to Blogger which we currently use for our company blog.
Hi Melanie,
I would love a copy of WordPress In Depth because I have two blogs, one on WordPress and the other on blogspot.com and I’m much happier with the WordPress interface so I’ll be attempting to migrate the blogspot one over there. I also am working with a bunch of other aspiring writers and artists who want to create/enhance their blogs so I’ll be sure to share the resource and my learnings. I also share resources for social media through my Tweets as Annieinthesun. Hope to connect with other BlogHer peeps and your readers.
I have a new WordPress blog for parents, teachers and homeschoolers to connect and share. Everything is new to me and I’m always trying to learn more! Read WordPress for Dummies and look forward to tackling this book!
Thank you for all of the information on this site!
I’d love to win this book because I am in the process of switching from blogger to wordpress.
I’m ba-ack!
http://twitter.com/foxygknits/status/12685347155
I’ve been using Blogger for a while now and it’s OK. I really, really like how the WordPress blogs look! They look so much more professional and sleek! Thanks so much for the chance to win this book!
I tweeted again: http://twitter.com/dawnfarias/status/12699325059
Thanks for this give away!
I would love a copy because I don’t like the way my blog was set up by our designer but there is some crazy coding that I can’t seem to circumvent. Constantly frustrated!
Decided to go it alone into the wordpress world! I am in desperate need of a website refresh, as it is 3/4 iweb adn 1/4 wordpress. I have delayed a website overhaul because admittedly I have no idea how to configure what I have. This book seems like something that could help!
Thanks!
Stephanie (@stephaniedelk)
I also want to know how to install/use typekit fonts – so me, me, me, please!
I’ve been on WordPress for almost a year, but would love to learn more about it because there is still so much that I don’t know.